The St. Louis Rams have been deliberate and thorough in their search for a new general manager, but now your organization has finally narrowed their list of candidates down to two men. Minnesota Vikings director of player personnel George Paton and Atlanta Falcons director of player personnel Les Snead are the two finalists, and both have returned for second interviews already, but now it appears the team is focusing in on Paton as the lead candidate for the job. According to Jim Thomas of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, multiple sources within the organization have said that "it's Paton's job to lose."
What makes Patton -- who has spent the past five seasons as the director of player personnel with the Minnesota Vikings -- the best man for the job? Ryan Van Bibber of SB Nation's Rams blog, Turf Show Times, provides the context to the latest development in the GM search:
And what has Paton standing above the other candidates? His reputation for working with others has reportedly earned him an endorsement from new head coach and football czar in St. Louis, Jeff Fisher. His work as a personnel man in Minnesota speaks well of his ability too, despite the Vikings' miserable record.
Paton made the move to acquire Jared Allen. He also let the oft-injured, but super talented Sidney Rice walk away in free agency rather than tie up big bucks to keep him. That qualifies as making a tough decision, something he would likely have to do with the Rams as the new staff turns over some big contracts on the roster.
Arizona's Steve Keim had some inside the organization lobbying for him.
The Rams had interviewed nine different candidates for the job, but Jim Thomas noted that the other seven men have been eliminated from consideration and the team has notified all seven that they are no longer in the running.
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